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Fired Florida lifeguard to be honored by city

Tomas Lopez, who claims he was fired after helping rescue a swimmer outside his post, has declined an offer from his former employer to return to work, saying, "I'd rather not work there." NBC's Mark Potter reports.

“They offered me a heartfelt, a real good apology, but I just declined. I just want to move on to the next chapter of my life,” the 21-year-old said.

The incident unfolded Monday when Lopez ran and left his lifeguard zone, breaking company policy, to try to help a drowning man.

By the time Lopez got to the man, beachgoers had managed to pull him out of the water. Lopez and a nurse tended to the man, who was later rushed to Aventura Hospital in intensive care. He was discharged from the hospital on Thursday.